Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1887-12-29
SIEGE OF THE ALAMO.
An Kye-wItneas TeIk the story OF that
Bloody Fight.

DtO1aJ
Col. R. L. Crompton, of Roxbury,
Mass, is probably the only living
American who was an eyewitness Of
that fearful struggle. and from him
were obtained the facts on which this
article is founded. He left his Mass
achusetts home in the winter Of 1884,
TO hunt fortune in the west. He started
for Lexington, KY, but fell in with
a band bound for Texas to Join
Col. Travis, near San Anitonio do
Bexar. He decided TO cast his lot in
the struggle for Texan independence.
The party was largely mnde up of
young and fiery Kentuckians and
Tennesseeans, some of them hardly
more than boys. Many exciting incl
dents marked their journey. but they
finally reached the great Lone Star
state. Young Crompton at once en-
listed under Col. Milan.
LAS soon as we had gathered suffi-
cient strength" he said, in telling the
rest of the story, 1--WE attacked the
Mexican forces IN San Antonio. They
far outnumbered us and q desperate
struggle ensued. For days we fought
in the streets and among the adobe
houses, each one of which was minia-
ture fortress. With pick and spades
we dug our way through the walls
from house to house. The fight for
the Vereminda house was fierce and
bloody, but at last we drove the Mexi-
cans out and took possession.
.'Our triumph was soon turned to
mourning. On that very day, Milan,
our beloved leader, fell dead, shot by
a Mexican who lay concealed behind II
| wall on the opposite side of the San
Antonio river. We did not retain the
house long, as the advance of Santa
Anna compelled us to Withdraw, leaving
Travis with less than $50 men to garri.
son the place.
81 shall never forget the day wher
young Maverick dashed into our camp
with the news that Travis, refusing tc
retreat, was shut up in the Alamo ano
surrounded by an overwhelming force
| While Houston was so weak he coulC
not come to the rescue.
i II started off to join the imprisoned
band. 1t was hopeless undertaking
as soon found when got a bullet il
me. | crawled away in the darkness
A Mexican whom had befriendet
4 during our occupation of the city
generously agreed TO conceal me in hi
house. Anarrow window commanded
an excellent view of one front of tn,
i Alamo wall, and from this point coult
see nearly all of that memorable strug
| gle.
DAY after day the Mexican fire wa
kept up, and time after time were theil
storming columns hurled against th,
old church wall, which formed the
Texan rampant. But nothing coult
disturb the defenders. At the close o
each day the Lone Star flag tioated a.
proudly and, apparently, as secure al
ever from the roof of the mission. Tht
Mexican losses were fearful. Theil
clumsy escopteas were no match for thu
long Hawkins rifles. Hundreds fel
every day, but they were little missed
from that overwhelming host whil'
every man of the garrison who diet
was an irreparable loss. The line alon:
the wall grew very thin. Still there wa
no thought Of surrender At length
when death and wounds had reduce
the poor handful to half its origina
numbers, the Mexicans effected
Judgement on an undefended part Q
wall. Instantly they poured in b
| hundreds.
although there was no hope of sue
cess the brave Texans fought as steadil
and as firmly as on the first day of th
siege. From room to room went til
fight. The puny Mexicans learned b
bitter experience the deadly power {
bowie knives and dubbed rifles in th
hands of desperate Americans. Br
human endurance has its limits. A
length Santa Anna was master of til
Alamo. but not until the last America
Law cold in death. From my windo
could hear the shouts and yells an
see the struggling figures.
when all was over | begged M
host to 90 into the Alamo and brin
me news of all that had occurred. II
came back in an hour or two, and sal
that such shambles never had been see
; before. The dead were heaped in vii
confusion throughout the building
The cutters fairly ran with blood. |
room on the ground floor was tt
. corpse of Col. Bowie. He had bee
! butchered upon his sick bed. Not ia
away from him was found the bra,
, and eccentric Davy Crockett. B'
the most impressive sight was in
small room in the upper story, whel
: the gallant Travis lay, a bullet hole
his forehead. Strewn around hi
were the corpses of fifteen Mexican
q who had died oy his hand. OF Il
0 Texans not one survived, but they d
!, not die unavenged. No less than 1.6'
2 Mexicans fell before less than i
e Americana